The Waiting Game
by josp
Summary: They've waited for just so long to be together. But life always seems better when it's a fantasy, instead of a reality. Rated M for language and suggestive themes. Epilogue Compliant. Post-Hogwarts.


Disclaimer: All recognisable characters, places and creatures, belong to J.K Rowling. All other work is my own.

'I want a divorce.'

The sigh that came from Draco Malfoy was audible even from the other side of the room where she stood. Astoria watched as her husband of twelve years, remained seated at his desk, the only acknowledgement he gave that he heard her was the sigh. Otherwise the quill remained in his hand.

Astoria crossed her arms over her thin chest, but took a couple of steps closer to the desk. Her heels clattered across the wooden flooring and finally her husband looked up at her. Merely raising one eyebrow, as his grey eyes meet hers, he placed his quill down deliberately and slowly. The silence in the room was painful. But Astoria, to her credit, did not flinch, she just repeated her demand. 'I want a divorce.'

Draco looked at her, his eyes never leaving hers as he decided what he was going to say. After running through all of his options he asked the only thing he could. 'Why?'

His wife dropped her defences then, she moved quietly before the desk, pulled out the leather chair in front and sat down. She never broke eye contact with her husband, but she did allow her eyes to soften and a small sad smile to grace her face. She reached across to touch Draco's hand, which was still resting on the quill.

She glanced at the papers on the desk, and realised that although they had only half an hour ago, returned from dropping Scorpius off at King's cross, her husband was already scribbling a letter to his son. As her eyes lingered on the letter, she thought of all the memories the three of them had made in this house. She remembered breastfeeding Scorpius as a new-born, seated on the sofa, whilst Draco read stories to him. She remembered Scorpius taking his first steps across their bedroom, whilst Draco tentatively held his hands, but beaming with so much pride it hurt. She remembered Draco taking Scorpius to his first day of nursery, first day of school, to his first dance, to his first everything. She remembered just how lucky she was to have a husband like him, one who cared so deeply for his son. And then she remembered why she sat in the office now.

Astoria looked back up at her husband and said just four words, her smile sympathetic and her eyes soft. She wasn't angry. She was just sad, sad she hadn't realised before, sad that she had been so blind, so sad that she hadn't been enough.

'I know about Ginevra'

Her husband had the decency to look ashamed. He cast his gaze down and left it there. It was all the confirmation that Astoria needed as she slid back the chair, letting it scrap heavily across the floor. She really didn't want to cry in front of him, and she knew that if she remained there it was highly likely. She straightened her blue skirt as she stood. As she turned away from him, she once again, became aware of his eyes on her.

Draco, watched as his wife, his wonderful, pure-blooded, polite, kind wife strode from his study. She was beautiful. She was a wonderful mother to Scorpius. She loved Draco, she could forgive him anything. But now she knew. He was aware that she probably wasn't going to forgive him this. The only thing she had ever asked for was his faithfulness and he had failed in that. But still he was curious to know. He called out after her, his voice echoing in the room emphasising the strain in it more that he would have liked. 'Astoria. How?'

Astoria stood still, her hand on the door frame tracing the marks they had notched to measure Scorpius' growth and at his instance their own. She considered her words for the longest time. How do you tell your husband of over a decade that you have become aware of why he shies away from you at night, of why he never says 'I love you' back, of why he leaves early and returns late, of why, despite his obvious attempts to spare her of any heartache he has crushed her with it now.

She turned around to face him slowly. Then she smiled at him tenderly and spoke, 'The way you looked at her. The way she looked at you. We have never looked at each other like that.' Astoria felt and tear slide down her face. 'I watched, I watched as we waved our only child off to Hogwarts, I watched your gaze as the train, pulled away. At first, I thought it odd that you were watching Harry Potter, so I looked too. And I saw her, staring at you, blushing under your gaze, but not breaking it. She looked at you as though she wanted to take the ten steps between you and hold you. For comfort at sending off the second of her sons, as though it was only you that could. So I turned to you and I saw exactly the same look on your face as hers. Then I knew.'

Draco slid his chair back and stood. He didn't step towards her, he didn't really do anything. He just looked relived. Astoria realised then that this wasn't a new thing, this had been going on for months, maybe even years and that Draco had been heavy under the weight of it. 'I'll summon a lawyer, Astoria, I'll sort it all out.' Astoria nodded and turned away. Heading back it to the corridor he spoke again, 'Astoria, I'm sorry.'

The tall, Mrs Malfoy turned, 'Will she leave Potter?' she asked. Draco hadn't expected that would be a question his wife would face him with, but he'd thought about it ever since she strode into his study and demanded a divorce. Draco sat back down, running his hand over his pointed face. 'We've discussed it.' He worried he was giving too much information to his wife, but if the ever was a time to be honest it was now. 'But I'm not sure. She had the children to think of, and Lily is still at home. We were kind of planning to wait a couple more years. Once she was at Hogwarts, it would be easier.'

'A couple more years? How long as this been going on?' Astoria could feel her anger now. It was bubbling up. She spent so long ensuring she was perfectly polite in every way but this was just different now. This was her twelve-year marriage crashing down around her feet. This was the life that she had built for the three of them turning to rubble in front of her. But her husband's answer was worse that she could have imagined, it made her feel stupid. It made her want to scream. But before she torn their house down she had to know. 'How long, Draco? How, fucking, long?' Her voice echo round the room, her curse words, like daggers into him, he stood.

'Seven years.'

He was ready to take the punishment he knew would come. He hoped would come. But instead she laughed, and swept from the room. Slamming the door to the study behind her, Astoria, ran through the corridors of the manor, until she reached her son's room, she clutched at his pillow and allowed the tears to flow. She'd been angry again soon, but for now, she wanted to mourn for her perfect family. It was never going to be the same again.

In the study Draco, checked his pocket watch. He finished writing the letter to his son, telling him to be good, make sure he beat Rose Weasley in all the exams, and that he loved him. He enclosed a chocolate frog. Sealing the envelope, he opened the window so the owl could collect the letter. The fresh air hit him as he made a mental list of everything he had to do. It jolted him; from any self-pity he had and reminded him how he needed to conduct his business. He put in a floo request for a lawyer to come to the house tomorrow morning. And then he sat back down at the desk, opened the charmed drawer and removed the muggle mobile phone. Dialling the only number saved on it, he waited as it rang.

The voice on the other end was worth the wait, it was always worth the wait.

'Hi, are you ok? I can't really talk right now'

'Gin, Astoria knows.'

'Knows what? Lily put that down; you're going to ruin your dinner. Mummy's on the phone darling, why don't you go play for a little bit.' Draco could hear the muffled sound of the nine-year old running off, singing a nursery rhyme as she went. 'Knows what, Draco?' The tell-tale crunch of Ginny biting into the cookie she had confiscated from Lily moments before filled the phone line.

'Ginevra, about us.'


End file.
